Robert flocke



( No Model.)

B FLOCKE TRUNK FASTENER. No. 530,406. PatentedDec. 4; 1894.

UNITED STATES ROBERT FLOCKE, E NEWARK, NEW JERSEY,

.ASSIGNOR TO GUSTAV BERNHEIM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRUNK-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,406, dated December 4, 1894.

Application filed August 25,1294.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT FLooKE, a cit-izen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New J ersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvem cuts in Catches for Cases and Trunks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved catch for trunks, boxes, cases, and the like which shall be more effective and reliable than many of the catches now in use, and possessing other advantageshereinafter referred to.

The invention consists in the improved trunk catch, and in the combination and arrangement of the parts thereof, as hereinafter set forth and finally pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, where they occur, Figure 1 represents in perspective, a trunk, box or case provided with catches embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 represents an inner plan view of the catch showing the working parts thereof, the 7 upper member of the catch being detached. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the upper and lower members in a locked position. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detail views of certain of the working parts, shown in perspective.

In said drawings, A, represents the body of a trunk, box or case, and B, the lid thereof.

0, designates one of the members of the catch, which, in the present case, is secured to the lid of the trunk, and d, designates the other member which issecured to the body of the trunk. The member, (1, consists of a box-like structure having flanges, e, through which the fastening screws are inserted to secure the same to the trunk. In the upper side of the said structure, is an aperture, f, through which a hook, g, of the member, 0,

Serial No. 521,261. (No model.)

projects to engage with a lock plate, h, which sponding aperture, t, which registers with the aperture, f, when in looking position, in which 5 5 position it is held by a spring,j, which is interposed between one end of the locking plate and rear wall of the member, d, and is held in position by means of a pin,j', secured to the rear portion of the lock plate, as shown.

The lock plate is moved out of looking ongagement with the hook, g, by means of a button, It, on the outside of said member, d, the shank of which projects through a slot, at, therein, and is firmly secured to said lock 6 5 plate, as shown.

Arranged transversely in the member, d, is a push bar, k which is journaled in said member, (1, its ends projecting through the walls thereof. The upper portion of said push bar is reduced in size whereby a shoulder, Z, is formed thereon; and a spring, m, is coiled around said push bar, one end being secured in position thereon, at n, and the other end, abutting against the lower wallof the member, (1; the normal tendency of said spring being to force said bar upward, until the shoulder, Z,abuts against the upper wall of the said member, (1, when the lock plate is drawn back out of locking engagement with the hook, g, or against the upper portion of said lock plate when the latter is in looking engagement therewith, as the case may be. The said upper portion of the lock plate is provided with a recess or notch, o, the outer extremity of which is enlarged and adapted to engage with the enlarged portion of the push bar when the device is unlocked, and when locked, the narrower portion of the said recess, engages with the reduced portion of the go push bar, as will be understood by reference to the drawings, especially Figs. 4, 5 and 6 The operation of the device is as follows:- The trunk or box being open, as shown in Fig. 1, and the locking mechanism being in 5 the position shown in Fig. 2, the face of the member, 0 when the lid is being closed, will come in contact with the end of the push bar,

and by a slight pressure will force the same downward until the lock plate, by the press- 109 ure of the spring, j, will snap into engagement with the shoulder, Z, upon the push bar, and at the same time, the upper portion of the lock plate will snap into engagement with the hood, g, and the trunk is locked. To unlock or release the member, 0, from locking engagement, the lock plate, It, is forced backward out of engagement with said shoulder by means of the button, is, whereupon the said shoulder is forced upward against the upper wall of the member, d, bringing the enlarged portion of the push bar into engagement with the outer end of the recess, 0, thereby holding the lock plate out of engagement with the member, 0, until the lid is again closed, and at the same time, pushing the lid of the trunk upward, automatically, as may be understood by reference to the drawings, thereby leaving the hands free after pulling the lock plate out of holding engagement with the hook, g.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, i"s

A trunk catch composed of a member, as 0, provided with ahook, as g, and a box-like structure or member, as d, provided with a lock plate working therein, and provided with an aperture to receive the hook, and a recess or notch in one end thereof, a spring as j, interposed between the rear end of said lock plate and the inner wall of said member, d, and a spring-actuated push bar, having a shoulder thereon, and adapted to engage with said recess in said lock plate, automatically, as described, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of August, 1894.

ROBERT FLOOKE. Witnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, ROBERT SOLLBERGER. 

